By Lisanne Cheizoo (Editor-in-chief)
Every year, dozens and dozens of movies are being released in theatres, and, as a viewer, you are constantly challenged to make a selection: to see the new Avengers movie, or to watch Birdman? To see one of the many dramas, or rather an action-comedy movie? 2015 seems to hold a lot in store for us, with movies like the new James Bond film Spector coming up, as well as the Minions film and Pitch Perfect 2. Sadly, these films are all scheduled for release later this year. Yet, if you are looking for an entertaining movie for a nice night out, I have a recommendation: go and see Kingsman: The Secret Service.
Kingsman: The Secret Service is an action-comedy film directed by Matthew Vaughn (known from Kick-ass), starring Samuel L. Jackson (Star Wars), Michael Caine (Batman), and, surprisingly, Colin Firth (Pride & Prejudice, Bridget Jones’s Diary). The movie is centered around Kingsman: a top-secret spy organization that operates internationally and independently, away from any political games. The movie focuses on Harry Hart’s (Firth) quest of finding a new member for the agency Eggsy (Taron Egerton) is a perfect fit for this job. Apart from finding a new member, the lead characters also face Valentine (Jackson), a malicious villain who is plotting to kill off half of the world’s population in order to start a new world and gain power.
Now, this all sounds very stereotypical. The plot is not unlike any of the Bond movies, or any other spy movie for that matter. However, this is exactly what makes it so brilliant. Kingsman: The Secret Service is an ultra-violent Bond parody, filled with British humor and smooth action scenes. Valentine is your stereotypical villain, complete with physical defect, and a beautiful (but lethal) sidekick. Firth’s Harry Hart is the wise teacher who sees potential in the form of loose, white-trash Eggsy. Extra worthwhile: Colin Firth is once again on top of his game. Although most of us might know Firth from his work as heart-robbing Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, or more recently, as solemn King George in The King’s Speech, in Kingsman he takes up a completely different role and shows us he is also very capable of pulling of amazing stunts and sleek action sequences. In all truth: his surprisingly funny and smooth performance is what makes the movie. He truly is an (albeit very British) action hero, coming to save the day.
Overall, Kingsman: The Secret Service is well worth watching. The comical elements, brilliant action sequences, obvious parodical elements, and star-studded cast make it a very entertaining and unexpectedly brilliant movie. When you go to see it, be sure to keep an eye out for Mark Hamill, also known as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies: although he does not appear on screen regularly anymore, he too is part of the cast of this great movie.
Lisanne Cheizoo, Class of 2015, is a Literature and Linguistics major from Uden, the Netherlands.
